AFL ANALYST and ex-player Kate McCarthy has indicated her interest in a potential senior coaching role this off-season, with a series of vacancies expected to be filled across the AFLW landscape in the coming months.

McCarthy worked as an assistant coach at the Western Bulldogs in 2023 after retiring from a 42-game AFLW career that featured an All-Australian selection in 2017 and stints at Brisbane, St Kilda and Hawthorn.

She has since become one of the game's most respected media commentators and analysts, working across men's and women's football for AFL Media, on TV with Channel 7 and on radio for Triple M.

However, McCarthy has been sounded out for a variety of roles within AFLW programs recently and has revealed she would consider a senior coaching position in the future if the right opportunity presented itself.

Adelaide and Sydney are already searching for new AFLW head coaches following the retirement of Matt Clarke and the departure of Scott Gowans respectively, while Richmond is currently conducting a review into its women's football program following a disappointing 2-10 campaign.

Melbourne premiership coach Mick Stinear also remains out of contract heading into the side's semi-final against Adelaide this weekend, having signed successive one-year deals in recent seasons.

"I would absolutely be open to exploring the opportunity to coach again," McCarthy told AFL.com.au on Tuesday.

"Coaching is definitely still where my passion lies and particularly in the AFLW. To be able to play a part in developing the next phase of women's football and helping implement that at a club would be something I would love to do.

"As my work in the media hopefully shows, the tactical and game plan side of the game absolutely fascinates me and is where I would see my strengths as a coach.

"Obviously, there are current head coaches in the AFLW who have been able to have media careers alongside their coaching roles and this would be something I would love to do.

"Having seen what Daisy Pearce has been able to do at West Coast following a similar path in football and the media – albeit with nowhere near the same on-field accolades – it's reignited that drive to be part of a team again and help to shape the future of AFLW.

"Unfortunately, with the constraints of the soft cap currently in the AFLW, assistant coaching [at the Western Bulldogs] was something I had to step away from while building my media career as it wasn't comparative financially, which was disappointing."

North Melbourne assistant Rhys Harwood, Sydney assistant Tanya Hetherington, Melbourne assistant Shae Sloane and ex-Carlton coach Daniel Harford are expected to be among the top candidates to fill AFLW coaching roles this off-season.